Stop fantasising about Pakistan: Top policy expert Samir Saran explains why India shouldn't worry about Asim Munir

Time of India

6 days ago

Samir Saran advises India to prioritize regional stability over Pakistan's internal politics, advocating for a focus on strategic outcomes rather than attempting to reshape Pakistan in India's image. He suggests that India should concentrate on its own interests and regional projects, irrespective of who leads Pakistan or its political structure.
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No role for India in Pakistan's internal politics
Focus on stability, not structure
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'That train has left the station'
India should focus on outcomes, not appearances
No equivalence between China and Pakistan
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US-Pakistan ties are a 'toxic relationship'
India's strategic gains happened regardless of US-Pakistan closeness
Asim Munir's aggressive posture towards India
India must stop fantasising about reshaping Pakistan in its own image and instead focus on achieving stable and strategic outcomes in the region, says Samir Saran , President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). In a recent interview with ANI, the foreign policy expert said India should not concern itself with whether Pakistan is run by General Asim Munir or whether it functions as a democracy. Samir Saran said India must stop viewing Pakistan through an emotional or ideological lens and focus on what advances India's strategic interests.Responding to questions about General Asim Munir's growing influence and possible civilian ambitions, Saran made it clear that India should remain indifferent to Pakistan's internal power structure.'If you were to be critical of Pakistan, you would say that this is a setback to democracy and you could say that Imran Khan is a popular person,' he said. 'But my question to you is... are we looking to create the best political system in Pakistan or are we trying to create an outcome that will create stability in our relationship?'Saran argued that India's priority should be to ensure predictable and stable regional dynamics, regardless of Pakistan's internal setup.'Who is the best actor for India if we are to achieve predictable and sustainable regional security? I think that's the question we need to ask,' he said.He added that India must not get involved in speculating whether someone like Asim Munir or any other figure should take over Pakistan's civilian leadership. 'To each his own. Again, we should not try to challenge the political arrangements of other countries,' he said.Highlighting Pakistan's distinct political trajectory, Saran said it is unrealistic for India to expect Pakistan to evolve into a democracy similar to its own.'India should not try to fantasize about creating a Pakistan that resembles itself. That train has left the station,' he said. 'They have decided to create politics and social arrangements that are different to us.'According to Saran, Pakistan will continue to reach conclusions that are fundamentally different from India's, and New Delhi must come to terms with this.Drawing on past experience, Saran said India made the most progress with Pakistan during General Pervez Musharraf's tenure, despite the political differences between the two countries.He stressed that results matter more than ideological alignment. 'Let us not get distracted by something that doesn't concern us. That is their relationship. That is their marriage. God bless them,' he said, referring to the US-Pakistan relationship as well.Saran also cautioned against drawing parallels between India's relationship with China and that with Pakistan. While India deals directly with China as a sovereign adversary, Pakistan engages India through proxies, he pointed out.'You have non-state actors being sent across the border to create havoc... So they are not the same,' he said. 'Here we are dealing with those in uniform, who are sending their proxies to fight for us.''We should look at what is good for us and we should pursue it,' he said.Samir Saran described the longstanding US-Pakistan relationship as 'perverse' and 'toxic,' shaped by geopolitical interests that rarely change. Referring to General Asim Munir's recent high-level meetings in the US, including one with former President Donald Trump, Saran said the impact on Pakistan's internal or external posture is not India's concern.'Pakistan is a vessel state for the Americans from the past... America may still want to continue to have some control over them for their own future,' Saran said. 'The Pakistanis play the game and the Americans continue to be played.'Saran recalled how India achieved key breakthroughs in its relationship with the United States during George W. Bush's presidency, even as Washington was closely allied with then Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf.'Our biggest gains in our bilateral with the US happened at a time when the biggest gains were happening in the US-Pakistan relationship,' he said.He added that India should abandon the mindset of trying to be anyone's 'favorite child' in global diplomacy. 'We don't need to play favorite child. We don't have to. I don't think we are anyone's child,' he said.General Asim Munir, Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal , has made several public statements that reflect a confrontational stance towards India. Asim Munir has made several statements against India, notably expressing strong anti-India rhetoric mainly centered around Kashmir and regional tensions:Munir referred to Kashmir as the "jugular vein of Pakistan," asserting Pakistan's deep strategic and emotional attachment to the region. He has repeatedly called for a "Free Kashmir" and supported what he terms the "legitimate struggle" of Kashmiri people, which aligns with Pakistan's backing of militant groups in Kashmir.In speeches, Munir has accused India of "unprovoked aggression" against Pakistan, blamed India for escalating regional tensions, and warned of a strong and swift response to any future Indian military actions. He claims Pakistan has shown "restraint and maturity" despite these provocations, portraying Pakistan as a "net regional stabilizer".Munir has linked his anti-India statements to Pakistan's proxy war in Kashmir, defending terror groups as part of a just struggle and dismissing India's claims about terrorism. Intelligence reports indicate that his inflammatory speeches, including those emphasizing religious divides and conflict, possibly emboldened militant actions such as the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.